The
ageing population and disabilities

A better standard of living and greater access to more
advanced medical care has increased life expectancy dramatically
this century, while birth rates have fallen.

These
two trends are creating a 'top-heavy' population, with an expanding
proportion of older people. This is not a problem, of course, if
senior citizens can look forward to years of good quality life after
retiring.
But what happens when natural degeneration starts to cause health
problems, or if an age-related disease such as Parkinson's, arthritis
or senile dementia develops? None of these diseases are immediately
life-threatening, but they can make life difficult to bear and place
a great financial, emotional and logistical burden on health services,
families and carers.
This key action aims to promote quality of life for the elderly.
Through researching more effective prevention and treatment for
age-related disease and disability, as well as their societal consequences,
it will allow more people to enjoy good health and independence
in their old age, as well as reducing the strain on public health
services.

Effective
and efficient care

providing good health and social care services for older
people

finding
the best way of financing long-term care

health
care, services and social care; efficiency and quality;
ageing and health-care financing

Towards
healthy ageing

discovering
more about the mechanisms that lead to age-related changes

determining
the biological, psychological, social and economic factors
that make healthy ageing more likely